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Taupe looks great! Here's my experience with the ACM strap
I recently got the Paris strap from ACM for my Octa Lune and came across the same issue with loose spring bars. I was able to remove the spring bars from the ACM strap without damaging the leather and replaced them with the spring bars from a genuine FPJ strap that is now worn out. What you have to do is slide the spring bar to the left and gently peel the leather back around the opening for the quick release lever. Once the right end of the spring bar is out of that hole, you can just pull the rest of the spring bar out and slide the FPJ version in. This completely eliminated the rattle that resulted from the loose fit of the ACM spring bars. I think FPJ's spring bars are just a touch longer, which allows for a tighter fit. I asked the FPJ boutique if one can get the spring bars without the strap, but they said they can't sell them separately. I will say that the quick release lever opening on the FPJ strap is much smaller than on the ACM, so I had to physically cut the spring bar out. I would not normally advise this, but in my case the strap was already very worn out and due for a replacement. Each FPJ strap is unique, so others may find that they can just pull the FPJ spring bar out as I described without harming the leather. Hope this helps!
Here's my Octa Lune on the Paris strap - very pleased overall.
New Shoes for the Octa Lune....
Feels like a completely different watch on this strap. I had it on the blue croc strap and switched to this taupe strap. It makes the dial even seem like gray. What do you guys think? Original croc strap ...
Looks like you are not wearing any shoes
with the new strap. But it gives the watch a distinct look! Nice 👍 i must say. Cheers.
Ha!
I am actually, they just happen to be a similar color to the flooring in my office.
A Collected Man
I bought both the Zurich and the Stockholm straps. They have versions with curved ends too like the OEM FPJ straps, which is nice.
Got it. I'd be concerned...
I'd be concerned about the springbars they use. Generally they use steel spring bars which are integrated into the strap. This is fine if you have a steel watch. But this is NOT OKAY if you have a gold/platinum watch. Steel is significantly harder than go...
Yes
BUT even FPJ uses SS springbars themselves...So what are your options? I cannot even get the standard curved QR straps from FPJ themsevles and you cannot find a gold curved QR spring bar on the market either...
We need a technical answer from FPJ. Does FPJ use a special soft steel or one that has a special (like teflon) coating? How does FPJ prevent wear?
Patek Philippe doesn't spend excess money on springbars if they don't have to. I'm sure Patek Philippe wouldn't incur that expenditure multiplied by two spring bars per watch multiplied by the tens of thousands of watches they sell on straps equipped with...
Ummm....
Other than Patek, don’t most manufacturers use steel spring bars even with gold watches? My Rolex Cellini Moonphase is RG and I believe uses steel spring bars, same with my white gold Daytona. Dont the FPJ straps that come with his platinum watches use st...
I'm not sure what FPJ comes with. Looks like steel to me.
Patek Philippe doesn't spend excess money on springbars if they don't have to. I'm sure Patek Philippe wouldn't incur that expenditure multiplied by two spring bars per watch multiplied by the tens of thousands of watches they sell (every year) on straps ...
What do u you mean?
Patek uses white gold spring bars on their PM watches. It costs £120 for the pair, and you can purchase them at any Patek boutique or AD. I have confirmed with both FPJ Japan and Paris that the spring bars that are included in the straps with FPJ watches ...
Good to know that FPJ just uses a normal springbar.
I can't be certain of anything, but common business practices would suggest that Patek Philippe wouldn't go through the hassle and expense of sourcing gold spring bars unless there was a real net benefit. Perhaps the question we need to ask now is, why do...
Update & Apologies from ACM
Dear members of the Purist community, Having recently found this thread, I just wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge the concerns expressed regarding the spring-bars specific to our 20 x 19 curved straps (commonly sized for FP Journe watches). We...
Great customer service!
This outcome was expressed me to by email recently related to the straps I purchased a month or so ago now but very admirable to openly acknowledge the issue on the form and offer different solutions. I for one very much love the different look these stra...
Thanks Christian!
Me too! So much more relaxed with this strap than the croc and more wearable for all occasions. The good part is with the quick change straps it’s easy enough to change.
Superb here’s mine
But a question; I also got the strap from ACM but do you find that the spring bar is abit loose? or rather I feel the strap rattles abit vs the FPJ strap. ...
Agree
It’s certainly not as tight as the FPJ straps but I haven’t noticed it in a detrimental way.
And today on the gray strap....
Switched to the gray ACM strap today to see how it compares to the taupe. What do you guys think and which do you prefer? ...
Taupe looks great! Here's my experience with the ACM strap
I recently got the Paris strap from ACM for my Octa Lune and came across the same issue with loose spring bars. I was able to remove the spring bars from the ACM strap without damaging the leather and replaced them with the spring bars from a genuine FPJ ...
Yes agree
My experience was very similar. I was able to get FPJ springbars “without” the quick release from the boutique here in tokyo. When i uses that instead now the ACM strap fits snug and there is no rattle. However now to remove it......
Awesome looking Octa Lune!
As for the spring bars, I don’t notice them moving much. Mine feels more like the strap is 0.5-1mm narrower than the lug width and I can get a little action there. But honestly, none of it bothers me enough to worry about it. I like the look of the watch ...
ACM springbar fit
I recently bought two beautiful straps from A Collected Man (ACM) for my CHronometre Bleu. I ended up returning them. After I put the first strap on I noticed the rattling that some of you mention above. I took a closer look and noticed that the strap did...
Safe
The straps are super safe, the spring bars no. I managed to get some spring bars form the boutique, albeit they are not the quick release unfortunately but other than that the same as the ones that come on the FPJ straps. Once I changed the spring bars, t...
I spoke to ACM
They appreciated the feedback and were very apologetic. They said they are working on fixing the issue and understand our concerns. If you look on their site they pulled down all the curved end straps so it seems they are definitely taking this feedback s...
Thanks for the update!
Got the same message by mail as part of my conversation with them. Got a full refund on my purchase in spite of the returned straps getting lost in the mail back to the UK. Nicely handled. Claus
What a beuth
What color was the dial? Yellow? Not quite sure from the angle in the picture.